Turbomachines, such as, but not limited to, gas turbines, steam turbines, compressors, expanders, and pumps, may include components such as casings and carrier rings which are essentially annular and require sufficient strength at high temperatures to meet the operational requirements for gas turbines.
The use of low coefficient of thermal expansion materials for casings, shells, and carrier rings may lead to significant benefits in the reduction of compressor and turbine blade and vane tip clearances which produces increased power and efficiency, however low coefficient of thermal expansion materials are typically expensive nickel-based alloys which must be produced as wrought products which are direct ring rolled or flashbutt welding rings at a commercial scale. Section sizes produced from these materials by these methods are often too small for gas turbine casing and carrier ring dimensions, and must therefore be assembled circumferentially by joining techniques such as arc welding and flanging with welding or bolting.